1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of storage racks for storing removable automobile tops, and more particularly to a rack capable of storing a removable top of the type which has a sealing member disposed on a rear edge thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An increasingly popular type of automobile is the type which has a removable hard top roof adapted to be releasably secured to the automobile body and removed therefrom to provide the user with a convertible type of vehicle. One known automobile of the type described is manufactured and marketed under the trademark CADILLAC ALLANTE. This automobile has a hard top which includes a roof, opposed sides, an angled rear section and a sealing member mounted along a rear edge of the rear section. It is releasably attachable to the automobile body. The top may be simply removed from the automobile body by the user.
A problem arises when the top is removed from the body in finding a suitable storage method. Commonly, the owners of such vehicles normally place the top in an upright position and generally store the top in the corner of a garage. In response to the storage problem, a number of storage racks have been devised which have proved adequate for storage of the removable tops of various types of automobiles. For example, my U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,726 discloses a storage rack particularly suited for storage of the MERCEDES BENZ ROADSTER removable hard top. However, although the storage rack disclosed in the above-referenced patent is suitable for storing the removable automotive top of the type which has a roof, opposed side windows and an angled rear window, a problem arises if the rack is used to store the removable hard top from the Cadillac Allante. The patented storage rack comprises an angled surface which abuts against a pair of uprights, with the angled member and the uprights together conforming to the angled shape of the roof and rear section of the top. However, no provision is made for receiving a sealing member mounted along the rear edge of the angled rear section. In the embodiment depicted and described in the above-referenced patent, cleats are provided which are disposed along the bottom edge of the angled member. Therefore, placing the removable top from the Cadillac Allante in the storage rack will cause the sealing member to abut the pair of cleats. Furthermore, the weight of the entire automobile top will rest on the sealing member and cause it to become deformed at those locations where it abuts the cleats. Continued use will cause the deformations to become permanent indentations in the sealing member. Hence, when the removable top is mounted on the automobile, a weathertight fit will no longer be obtainable and the occupants of the car will be subjected to undesirable entry of precipitation and cold air into the automobile interior.
It would be desirable to provide a storage rack which is capable of storing a removable automobile top which includes a sealing member disposed on a rear edge thereof without causing deformation or damage to the sealing member.